Circuit controlling device



March 18, 1941. 1 H, WHEELQCK ETAL 2,235,273

CIRCUIT CONTROLLING DEVICE Filed Jan. 5, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l Pza-57225725:

March 18, 1941. J, H, WHEELOCK TAL 2,235,273

CIRCUIT CONTROLLING DEVICE Filed Jan. 5, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 18, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE nand F. Humphreys,

Caldwell, N. J., assignors to Signal Engineering & Manufacturing Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Massachusetts Application January 3, 1938, Serial No. 183,058

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to circuit controlling devices of the type commonly known as y relays, wherein the energization of a winding is utilized to perform a desired function in an electrical control circuit, separate from the circuit of the relay winding.

The object of the present invention is to provide a device of the above indicated character, which, when energized, will set in operation associated mechanism for bringing about a change in an electrical control circuit, within a denite time interval, entirely independent of the period of energization, or of deenergization, of the relay winding. The above and other advantageous features of the invention will hereinafter more fully appear from the following description, considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is ya View in side elevation of a circuit controlling device embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation of the device of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view, showing the relation between certain of the parts of Fig. 1.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are diagrammatic views, illustrating the functioning of the device.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary View, illustrating a modification in the form of the actuating mech- 30. anism.

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are diagrammatic views, illustrating the functioning of the device, as modied.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the device consists of an energizing winding I mounted on one leg of a U-shaped magnetic core 2, with an armature 3 pivotally mounted on the other core leg. An actuating rod 4 is pivotallly connected at its lower end to the free end of the armature 3, with the upper end of the rod 4 pivotally connected to an arm 5, mounted on a shaft 6 extending parallel to the pivotal axis of the armature 3.

A pawl 'l is pivotally mounted on a stud 8 carried by the :arm 5, and a spring 9 surrounding the stud 8, serves to yieldingly maintain a tooth l0 of ythe pawl 'I in engagement with a tooth I I provided on a disk I2, forming part of a sleeve I3 tulnable on the shaft 6. A spring I4, surrounding the sleeve I3, has one end anchored to a pin I5, while its other end tends to turn the sleeve in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3, to maintain an extension I6 of the disk I2 in engagement with a stop pin II. Normally, the position of the disk I2 is such that when the armature 3 is down and the winding deenergized,

(Cl. ZOO-97) the tooth III of the pawl 'I will be in engagement With vthe tooth |I of the disk I2.

The sleeve I3 provides an arm I8, to which the free end of the spring I4 is connected, and a second pawl I9 is mounted on the arm I8, 5 with a spring 2|) urging the pawl I9 in the direction of the teeth 2| of a ratchet wheel 22, turnable on the shaft 6. The Wheel 22 is connected to a gear 23, in mesh with a gear 24 on a shaft 25 extending parallel to the shaft 6. The shaft 25 carries a control member 26, composed of insulating material, and the member 26 provides cam projections 21. The ratio between the gears 23 and 24 is such that turning the ratchet wheel 22 through the angle of one tooth 2|, will cause 1 the control member 26 to be turned through an angle equal to the displacement between the corresponding faces of adjacent projections 21.

One end of a.` exible contact 28 bears on the control member 26 midway between adjacent projections 21, and the contact 28 is normally separated from a second contact 29. The contacts 28 and 29 are connected in a control circuit, indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 4 as consisting of an electrical load 30, adapted to be connected to a source 3| of electrical energy, upon closure of the contacts 28 and 29. In Fig. 4, the terminals of the winding are shown as being adapted for connection to the source 3|, in any -suitable manner, as by means of a switch 32.

While the Winding I remains deenergized, the parts occupy the position of Figs. 3 and 4, and it is obvious that upon closure of the switch 32, energization of the Winding will cause the armature 3 to pull up. As the armature 3 moves upwardly, as shown in Fig. 5, the engagement of the pawl tooth I 0 with the disk tooth I I, turns the sleeve I3 in a counterclockwise direction, against the pull of the spring I4. This movement of the sleeve I3 advances the pawl I9 over the surface of the ratchet Wheel 22, and just after the-pawl I9 sli-ps over a tooth 2|, but before the armature 3 has completed its upward movement, the upwardly extending end of the winding pawl l engages the stop pin I'I.

As the armature 3 completes its upward movement in response to' energization of the winding I, the pin I'I turns the pawl 'I in a direction opposed to that in which it has been moved by 50 the arm 5, so as to disengage the pawl tooth I0 from the disk tooth II, as indicated in Fig. 6. When this occurs, the sleeve I3 having been released from the winding pawl l, is now free to be turned by the spring I4, until the extension I6 of the disk I2 engages the stop pin I1. Thus, the ratchet wheel 22 is turned by the driving pawl I9 through the displacement of one tooth 2I, and the gears 23 and 24 cause the shaft 25 to be turned through an angle equal to the displacement between adjacent projections 21.

In Fig. 6,the disk I2 is shown as having moved to a position substantially midway between its eX- treme positions of Figs. 4 and 5, and the corresponding position of the control member 26 is such that a projection 21 thereof has moved the contact 28 into engagement with the contact 29, thereby closing the control circuit. However, the disk I2 continues to turn until it has returned to the position of Fig. 4, which movement is also imparted to the control member 26, so that the contact 2B passes 01T of the projection 21, to again open the control circuit. Thus, movement of the disk I2 from the position of Fig. 5 to the position of Fig. 6, is accompanied by making and breaking of the control circuit. If desired, a contact 29a that is normally in engagement with contact 28, can be substituted for the contact 29, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4, it being evident that operation of the device will then cause the control circuit to be first broken, and then reestablished.

As previously pointed out, the interval during which the control circuit is closed or opened, as the case may be, is entirely independent of the period of energization, or deenergization of the winding I. That is to say, the period of time during which the switch 32 may remain closed to energize the winding I, bears no relation to the time interval which elapses following the release of the pawl 1, during which control member 26 turns from the position of Fig. 5 to the position of Fig. 6, and then to the position of Fig. 4.

In order to vary this time interval to meet various requirements of the circuit under control, the device provides an adjustable escapement mechanism, such as is shown for example, in Patent No. 2,077,099, issued April 13, 1937. This mechanism consists of step-up gearing 33 for driving a shaft 34 at a considerably greater speed than the shaft 25, with a toothed escapement wheel 35 mounted on the shaft 34. An escapement pawl 36 mounted on a shaft 31, serves to convert rotation of the shaft 34 into oscillatory movement of the shaft 31. An arm 38 extending from the shaft 31 provides a ball 39, received between a pair of spaced disks 40, freely mounted on a shaft 4I, with the arm 38 being adjustable radially of the shaft 31. Oscillatory movement of the escapement shaft 31 therefore causes the disks 40 to also be oscillated, with the disks exerting a retarding action, in accordance with their amplitude of oscillation. Thus, by adjusting the position of the ball 39 at the end of the arm 38 between the disks 4D, the duration of the turning movement of the control member 26 can be controlled.

Referring now to Fig. 7, there is shown a modified form of actuating device, wherein the disk i2 provides a second tooth IIa adjacent to the tooth Il. The tooth IU of the pawl 1 is normally in engagement with the disk tooth II, so that upward movement of the armature 3 in response to energization of the winding l, Serves to turn the disk I2 in a counterclockwise direction.

As the armature 3 completes its upward movement, the upwardly extending portion of the pawl 1 engages the stop pin I1, which turns the pawl just enough to release its tooth I6 from the disk tooth II. However, as the released disk I2 starts to turn in a clockwise direction under the force of the spring I4, the tooth IIa engages the pawl tooth Il), so that the disk can turn through only substantially one-half of its original displacement. The disk I2 will remain in its intermediate position as long as the armature 3 remains in its attracted position, through continued energization of the winding I.

The above described functioning of the disk I2 with the extra tooth IIa, is shown diagrammatically in Figs. 8, 9 and l0, with reference to a circuit under the control of the contacts 28 and 29. In Fig. 8, the device is shown in its normal deene-rgized condition, with the pawl tooth I6 in engagement with the disk tooth II, and with the control contacts 28 and 29 open. In Fig. 9, the pawl 1 is shown as having turned the disk I2 to its extreme position, wherein the pawl is just about to engage 'the stop pin I1. In this position, the winding pawl I9 has been advanced the space of one tooth on the ratchet wheel 22, but as yet there has been no turning movement imparted to the shaft 25 carrying the control member 26, so that the contacts Z8 and 29 are still open.

In Fig. 10, the armature 3 is shown as being fully attracted, with the pawl 1 having been turned by its engagement with the pin I1, to disengage its tooth I0 from the rst disk tooth II. In this position of the pawl 1, which is maintained as long as the armature 3 remains attracted, the tooth IIa on the disk I2, has engaged the pawl tooth I6, so that the dis-k I2 has been permitted to only partially return to its original position. The degree of return movement permitted by the pawl 1 is such that the shaft 25 will be turned just enough to cause a projection 21 of the control member 26 to close the contacts 28 and 29. Obviously, the contacts 28 and 29 Will remain closed until the winding I is deenergized, whereupon dropping of the armature 3 will permit the disk I2 to return to the original position of Fig. 8, as it follows the'pawl 1 downwardly, thereby opening the contacts 28 and 29.

With the device functioning as shown in Figs. 8, 9 and l0, there will be a time lag between energization of the winding I and closure of the contacts 28 and 29, which does not occur until after the disk I2 has been turned by the pawl 1, and then released. The length of the time interval that elapses between energization of the winding I andclosure of the contacts 28 and 29, can be controlled by the adjustable escapement device, previous-ly described with reference to Fig. 3. This same time interval also enters into opening of the contacts 28 and 29, following deenergization of the Winding and dropping of the armature 3.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that by the ypresent invention there is provided a circuit controlling device which, when energized, will set in operation associated mechanism for controlling an electrical circuit within a definite time interval, entirely independent of the period of energization, or of deenergization, of the operating winding.

We-claim:

1. An electrical circuit controlling device comprising a winding, a magnetic armature movable upon energization of said winding, relatively movable contacts incapable of direct movement by said armature, a mechanism for operating said contacts, a connection between said mechanism and said armature operative in response to movement of said armature to place said mechanism in condition to operate said contacts, but without imparting movement to said contacts, and means for releasing said mechanism as said armature completes its movement, in response to energization of said winding to permit said mechanism to operate said contacts over a predetermined period.

2. An electrical circuit controlling device comprising a Winding, a magnetic armature movable upon energization of said winding, relatively movable contacts incapable of direct movement by said armature, a mechanism for operating said contacts, a connection between said mechanism and said armature operative in response to movement of said armature to place said mechanism in condition to operate said contacts, but without imparting movement to said contacts, and means for releasing said mechanism as said armature completes its movement, in response to energization of said winding, to permit said mechanism to operate said contacts over a period independent of the period of energization or deenergization of said winding.

3. An electrical circuit controlling device comprising a Winding, a magnetic armature movable upon energization of said Winding, relatively movable contacts incapable of direct movement by said armature, a wind-up mechanism for operating said contacts, a connection between said armature and mechanism to place said mechanism in a wound-up condition upon movement of said armature in response to energization of said winding, and means for releasing of said mechanism while in a wound-up condition to permit it to operate said contacts after said armature has completed its movement.

4. An electrical circuit controlling device comprising a winding, a movable magnetic armature directly associated with said winding, relatively movable contacts mechanically disassociated from said armature and winding, mechanism for operating said contacts and a connection between said armature and contact operating mechanism responsive to movement of said armature, upon energization of said Winding to actuate said mechanism and cause it to operate said contacts over a predetermined period, after said armature has completed its movement in response to energization of said Winding.

5. An electrical circuit controlling device comprising a winding, a movable magnetic armature directly associated with said Winding, relatively movable contacts mechanically disassociated from said armature and winding, mechanism for operating said contacts and a connection between said armature and contact operating mechanism responsive to movement of said armature, upon energization of said winding to actuate said mechanism and thereby cause said contacts to operate over a predetermined period, independent of the period of energization or deenergization of said winding.

6. An electrical circuit controlling device comprising a winding, a movable magnetic armature directly responsive to energization or deenergization of said winding, relatively movable contacts mechanically disassociated from said armature, mechanism for operating said contacts, and a connection between said armature and contact operating mechanism responsive to movement of said armature in one direction, upon energization of said winding to operate said mechanism and thereby cause said contacts to operate over a predetermined period, irrespective of deenergization of said winding, and movement of said armature in the opposite direction.

7. An electrical circuit controlling device comprising a winding, a movable magnetic armature directly associated with said winding, relatively movable contacts entirely disassociated from said winding, a windup mechanism for operating said contacts, a connection between said armature and mechanism to place said mechanism in a woundup condition upon movement of said armature in response to energization of said winding, and means for releasing said mechanism while in its wound-up condition, to cause said contacts to perform a sequence of operations effective only after said armature has completed its movement.

8. An electrical circuit controlling device comprising a winding, a movable magnetic armature directly associated with said winding, relatively movable contacts entirely disassociated from said winding, a wind-up mechanism for operating said contacts, a connection between said armature and mechanism to place said mechanism in a wound-up condition upon movement of said armature in response to energization of said Winding, and means for releasing said mechanism while in its wound-up condition, to cause said contacts to be moved relatively to each other, entirely irrespective of the position of said armature during such contact operation.

JOHN H. WHEELOCK. FERDINAND F. HUMPHREYS. 

